Commissioning for public benefit

Commissioners of public services are under mounting pressure to achieve savings for the public purse. This has meant that  'value for money' often gets interpreted to mean 'lowest cost', rather than maximising outcomes for the community and environment.

nef has shown that making decisions on the basis of 'lowest cost' can lead to dangerous false economies.  Short-term cash savings can lead to much greater costs in the longer term.

Social Return on Investment (SROI) provides commissioners with a framework for making better informed decisions that are in step with HM Treasury guidance and that, crucially, can help to maximise public benefit every time public money is spent.  nef has worked with the London Borough of Camden to develop a sustainable commissioning model which focuses on outcomes.  It is a bottom up approach to commissioning which allows service users and providers to innovate in the delivery of the service.